Review | Jamie's Italian, Sydney

When it comes to Jamie's Italian I have read and heard some mixed reviews, some claim its amazing while others argue its over hyped. Despite the negative reviews, I have wanted to check it out for some time so finally made a booking and made it happen.

Despite having a booking, we still had to wait around 15 minutes for our table to be cleared and when we were finally seated it was at a table right near the kitchen, meaning it was very noisy. And although it meant we did have to speak up, it also felt like we got an exclusive peek into a service kitchen.

First up, we decided to order the mixed Italian bread selection($1.50, we ordered and were charged for three but only were served two but didn't bring it up), fried three cheese gnocci ($10, ordered two lots) and their apparently famous polenta chips ($8.50, ordered two lots). We shared these amongst the eight of us, and I think it was the right amount, as we got a good taste of everything without becoming too full.

Fried gnocchi up front and the polenta chips sitting pretty behind

Even though it was the gnocchi that I was determined to try that night, the polenta chips ended up being my favourite. Well-seasoned and crispy on the outside and deliciously soft on the inside. So good, and I guess that is why they are famous! The gnocchi was also good, but did not live up to my expectations. I was hoping for crispier and cheesier bites.

Next up were the mains. Prone to getting full fast and wanting to have dessert, I ordered the entree sized sausage pappardelle ($13.50). When it was served I was a bit disappointed just based on looks, but I quickly learnt not to judge a book by its cover. The dish was nice, again well seasoned and the breadcrumbs added a nice crunch. And it was just the perfect size serving for me as well, enough to fill me up but still leaving room for a little dessert.

I also got to try a bites of a few other dishes. The lamb and ricotta tortellini ($26.50) looked amazing but the taste was pretty average, and the pasta tasted a little under cooked. I also tried the veal flash steak, which was nice but was a very thin slice of meat so not the most filling dish ($28.50).

Sausage Pappardelle

Lamb and ricotta tortellini

Being a lemon dessert lover, I naturally opted for the lemon meringue pie ($10.50), that was served with what we guessed was glazed orange or mandarin and pistachio brittle. It was the fluffiest meringue I've had! Melted in my mouth. The brittle was nice and I would of liked more, and could of done without the glazed fruit as it was a little bitter.

Overall I enjoyed the food at Jamie's and the prices were decent. For someone that was starving or time poor, I wouldn't recommend it as there was lots of waiting, both for a table and for each meal. We had a 6pm booking and left at 9.30pm, and didn't even linger afterwards chatting. But if it's just good Italian you are after- then Jamie's Italian is a go.